Fittingly, the two best clay court players this season, Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev, collide in the final warm up for the French Open.

Earlier today, Nadal got through Novak Djokovic in their first meeting in over a year. After a very subpar start to the 2018, Djokovic actually looked pretty decent at times today, but with that forehand humming, it was too much Nadal.

Rafa got an early break, blew it serving for the first, but his forehand bailed him out in the breaker. Then he rode the momentum for a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory. Djokovic still leads the series 26-25 but Rafa has won the last two, both in straight sets.

“It was a tough battle, I think a good level of tennis,” Nadal said. “combination of tactics, a combination of great shots for both of us. Very important victory for me. I’m very happy.”

Rafa wasn’t at his best, I felt, but he did just enough. Meanwhile, Djokovic, as I said, did well and for his fans he gave them some much-needed hope for the French.

Novak’s serve still isn’t there and I don’t think he moves as well as he did, but he showed a lot of fire and want this week, something I didn’t really see back in March. That said, he’ll fall outside of the Top 20 at No. 22, leaving him a precarious seeding position come Paris.

“Rafa was just better in important moments. He just managed to play right shots and he deserved to win. He was the better player,” said Djokovic. “I don’t think that there was too much of a difference, which is great for me, great news for me. Because Rafa is, of course, the best player ever to play tennis on clay courts. And he’s in great, great form. It’s very difficult to play him on clay anywhere. But as I said, I thought the level of my tennis was very high.

“All in all, really, really good quality match,” he added. “I enjoyed it. I hope the crowd did, too. And I can only take positives from this week.”

In the second match, playing in his first clay Masters semi, Marin Cilic put up a good fight in an epic first set breaker, but once again the Croat came up just short against a Top 5 player (he missed 5 set points chances). Alexander Zverev was just a bit better in big moments, came from a break down in the second, and took it 7-6(13), 7-5.

Zverev has won his last 13 matches dropping just one single set, that to Davis Goffin a few days ago. But will the defending champ keep it going?

Rafael Nadal v Alexander Zverev
I know Zverev has the streak and he won Rome last year, but he’s never beaten Nadal on clay nor has he beaten Nadal anywhere for that matter (0-4).

Obviously, Zverev has the firepower and right now the confidence, but Nadal’s the King of Clay for a reason and it’s awfully hard to pick against him, even though the German is playing so well.

“It will be a tough one. Sascha is playing great, winning a lot of matches in a row. Playing against Marin, he’s having a great year,” Nadal said. “Tomorrow I need to be ready to keep playing my best and that’s what I’m going to try.”

If Rafa wins tomorrow, he also returns to No. 1 and gets the top seeding in Paris. But an eighth Rome title sounds nice as well.

“If I am back to No. 1, it’s great,” said Nadal on Saturday. “Better than to be No. 2, it’s true. My motivation is to win a title and I am playing for this tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Zverev, who just won Madrid, will have to try to beat Nadal for a first time and have to do it on clay.

“There’s not much you need to say about him. He’s won so many tournaments on this surface, won the French Open 10 times, so I’m definitely not the favourite in this matchup,” said Zverev. “But hopefully I’ll be ready for it. I’ll do everything I can to recover and we’ll see tomorrow how it goes.

“We’ve had some very tough matches,” Zverev added. “In Indian Wells, I lost with a match point and in Australia we went five sets. Obviously we had some great battles and I’ve always enjoyed playing him. He’s the greatest of all time on clay, but hopefully I can prepare the best I can for tomorrow.”

Again, Zverev has the shots, the game, the serve. It’s all there except for the experience of having defeated Rafa. And that’s really the difference.The Pick: Nadal in 3

Tennis Channel will have the match live at 10am ET. And that comes after what could another French Open final preview in the women’s Rome title match which pits World No. 1 Simona Halep against defending champion Elina Svitolina (not on Tennis Channel!).

It’s not a Slam so I give the edge to the Ukraine, especially after she had an easy day beating Anett Kontavait while Halep and Maria Sharapova traded 19 breaks of serve before the Romanian won 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“I was happy to be able to play so well, and in the end win the match,” Halep said. “It’s always tough to play against her so I was really happy, and I celebrated how I felt. I tried to be aggressive the whole match, and I did it even if sometimes it went too far.

“I think I played my best match on clay, and I’m really happy that even though she played her best, I won the match.”

Svitolina beat Halep in the final a year ago and leads overall 3-2 winning their last two.

“It’s nice that we are again in the final, both of us,” Halep said. “It’s going to be a nice match, but I hope I don’t get injured again. I started well last year, so the game is there, I know how to play. But still, she’s a very tough opponent and a great player. I have to be focused on myself and play my best.”

So it’s a big day tomorrow in Rome, and two finals we could certainly see again three weekends from now!

Wow, 15-30 and he wins 3 points with authority. He is pumped up for all those wins lately. 5-0 up think its safe a third set. Nadal even risk getting a bagel on clay. He will serve under pressure knowing this can happen and verve will play this game freely.

Don’t know last time somebody bagel Nadal on clay, Fed in Hamburg 2007!

I’ve watched Zverev a lot Daniel, I don’t think he has nerves TBH.
Don’t expect him to keep this level up, or rather expecting Rafa to raise his.
Very impressed with how much damage Pretty Boy’s two hander is doing. Very, very effective shot, pinning Rafa to the corner on his back hand.

Zverev BH is making damage whole clay season, seems to me he improved that shot which already was his greater tool.

Yesterday he showed computer versus Cilic (who maybe didn’t capitalize when Zvrev was pissed). Today he seems ready after second set. 2-1 up a break but he needs 4 more holds or an insurance break.

He will have to play big from now to the finish line. Nadal also may get desperate and star making mistakes, we saw that versus Djoko ninth past when he was broken to lose the match, with Djoko not even needing to serve it out.

Nadal plays similar brand of tennis as Penaldo plays in soccer. Both depends on their robust stamina and zero creativity. When, penaldo flops he cries for penalty, so is Nadal. Now, his game is not clicking against Zavarev so he is whining and whinging like penaldo. However, a great opportunity for young Zavarev to prove whether he is worthy of putting himself into the shoes of greats or he is just fluke sensation like Dimitrov, Nishikori and other so called youngstars

Congrats Nadal, winning on experience and a bit f luck! He may very well got back even without the rain, but the rain spoil the party. Winning a Rome title again since 2013, back at #1 for at least 3 more weeks.

Almost certain win at RG #11 and 17th Salm. Players can hardly win 2 sets off him this season (only Thiem), let alone 3 in RG courts.

The Gods smiled on Rafa with the rain delay :-), however Sasha reverted back to his sitting back behind the baseline…..he should remember what he did in sets 2 and part of 3, however Rafa did play badly in set 2.

Only if they were to ace him earlier in the tourney (which can only happen for Novak), in semis or finals, he is already grooved and pumped up. No way he loses 3 sets to Thiem or Zverev in RG. Zverev never beat him (even after today). They just can’t sustain it.

Djoko may do it again if the meet in R32 – QF. Will depend on draw.

Raonic also out of RG together with Tsonga, Fed, Murray and most likely DelPo.

Sascha.is one good player!! Wow!! He does gimme hope of beating Rafa/Fed at slams and then winning title there!! I dont remember anyone handing a breadstick to Rafa on clay! Well done Sascha!! And better done Rafa!!! Wow!! Was a great match! Congratulations to Rafs and Rafans!!!👍👍👍

Rafa is indeed deserving to be #1 in hearts of billions! Rafa is no less a tennis player than Fed though I like Fed for his smooth simple yet forceful style of play! Both are credits to tennis but i do root for Fed for his playing style..😌 Rafa has every chance and much time to supercede the achievements of Fed, though I’d like Fed to stay clear of him GS tally-wise.. However, if there’s one great player who deserves to supercede Fed in greatness, it’s your fave Rafa! And Rafa is great imho at wimbledon too, truly!! I doubt anyone can match Rafa there except my guy playing at his very best, even though djokovic has one more wimby trophy! And that 2008 Wimbledon triumph of Nadal vs Federer is forever in minds of any tennis loving fan! #nostalgia